Nativity scenes are one of the time-honored traditions of the Christmas season. Such displays vary widely in style but have a number of fixed elements. The central figure, of course, is the baby Jesus laying in the manger, flanked by Mary and Joseph. Shepherds gaze in wonder at the newborn child. The three kings, accompanied by their camels, have arrived, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. This ensemble is crowded in or around a stable, with a smattering of sheep, donkeys and oxen. Hovering above the stable is an angel, a star, or both.
Today I’d like to focus on the strange story of the wise men whose tale is told in the gospel of Matthew: “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.'”
Herod was a savvy political figure who had risen to power in part by acquired the support of the famous Roman general and triumvir Mark Antony. In 40 BC, the Roman Senate declared Herod the king of Judea and provided him with military support against the rival Parthians. For more than three decades, he governed as a client king of the Roman Empire. Herod’s final years were marked by severe physical and mental deterioration which led to his death in 4 BC. The exact date of Jesus’ birth remains unknown, but it most likely occurred between 6 and 4 BC.
Who then were the Magi? Tradition holds that they were three kings, but the scripture never indicates that they were royalty, nor does it specify that there were three of them. The number is probably derived from the fact that they brought three kinds of gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Down through the centuries, the story of the three kings was further embellished. By the eighth century, they had even been assigned names and countries of origin: Balthasar, king of Arabia or Ethiopia, Melchoir the king of Persia and Gaspar the king of India.
The Magi were likely astrologers from Babylon or Persia. The term is often translated as “wise men” since these men were likely trained in various fields of knowledge, including the study of language, literature and the interpretation of dreams and visions. Ancient peoples earnestly studied the nighttime skies. They firmly believed that the world was interconnected. Thus, heavenly phenomena could be reliable predictors of corresponding terrestrial events.
The star is one of the most puzzling pieces of the Christmas story. The Greek word for star is aster, from which we derive our word astronomy. The word aster can refer to a conventional star but could also be used to designate any luminous object in the night sky.
Some have postulated that the star was a supernova – an exploding star which becomes much brighter for a period of time and then fades. It seems that renowned 17th century astronomer Johannes Kepler first suggested this theory. However, the oldest supernova in the historical record occurred in 185 AD when Chinese astronomers observed what they called a “guest star.”
But might the star of Bethlehem have been a supernova which escaped the historical record? Not likely. When a star explodes, it leaves a giant, expanding cloud of gas and dust. Modern astronomers have discovered the remnants of many supernovas and can accurately determine when they occurred. (The famous Crab Nebula, for instance, is the result of a supernova witnessed on earth in 1054 AD.) There just is no evidence for a supernova corresponding to the time of Jesus’ birth.
The famous Halley’s Comet streaked across the sky in 12 BC, just a bit too early to be considered a strong candidate for the Christmas star. Halley’s Comet orbits the sun every 75-76 years. This celestial visitor appeared in 1301, inspiring the Italian artist Giotto di Bondone, who subsequently included the comet in his painting The Adoration of the Magi.
Chinese astronomers did observe a comet in 5 BC, but it seems that this comet was difficult to visualize and somewhat unimpressive. Furthermore, comets in the ancient world were thought to be ominous signs of impending doom! Yet the Magi were “overjoyed” by the Christmas star.
Perhaps the strongest candidate for the Christmas star is a planetary conjunction. In the year 7 BC, the planets Jupiter and Saturn came very close together in the constellation of Pisces, not just once but three times! Ancient astrologers considered Jupiter the planet of kings while Saturn was associated with justice. Pisces was regarded as the sign of the Jews. It would make perfect sense, then, for the Magi to conclude that the “king of the Jews” had been born. Moreover, such a conjunction is sufficiently rare (occurring every 800 years) that it would have made a deep impression on ancient sky-watchers.
Some interpreters doubt that any natural phenomenon can explain the star, since the text suggests that the star led the Magi precisely to the place of Christ’s birth. This argument carries some weight. Perhaps the star of Bethlehem is simply a miraculous event which defies description.
However, it should also be noted that the wise men first showed up in Jerusalem, asking for the whereabouts of the new king. If indeed a planetary conjunction had signified a newborn king of the Jews, it’s quite logical that Magi would begin their search at the Jewish capital. Only after arriving in Jerusalem were the wise men informed that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Given this information, it would not have been difficult to locate Jesus, since Bethlehem was only a small village.
Speculating about the star of Bethlehem is fascinating and fun. Perhaps much more important is to ask ourselves why the Magi would undertake such an arduous journey? Babylon is 750 miles from Jerusalem using modern, direct routes of travel. People in the ancient world would have avoided the deserts of Arabia by trekking along the arc of the fertile crescent. Their expedition might have easily exceeded 1000 miles! Even assuming they could make 30 miles per day by camelback (very optimistic) such a journey would take more than a month! This endeavor would have been a huge expense. Moreover, travel in the ancient world was a dangerous proposition. Why drove them on?
The world of the ancient near east was well connected, whether though war or peaceful commerce. The Queen of Sheba, who visited King Solomon, was probably from Ethiopia or the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula. After King Hezekiah recovered from a serious illness, the king of Babylon sends him a gift. Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch who had come to worship in Jerusalem & was pondering the words of the prophet Isaiah. And, of course, in the sixth century BC, thousands of Jews had been taken into exile in Babylon.
Although we can’t be certain, the Magi (being men of great learning) were likely familiar with Hebrew scriptures such as Psalm 72, a work of King Solomon which foretells the coming Messiah:
“Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. He will judge your people in righteousness, you afflicted ones with justice…He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations…In his days, righteousness will flourish; prosperity will abound till the moon is no more…He will rule from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth…All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him.”
When Jupiter (the planet of Kings) greeted Saturn (the planet of justice) in the constellation Pisces (the sign of the Jews) the wise men must have been electrified. The people of Israel claimed to worship the one true God, the creator of all things. Their Messiah would establish his kingdom over all the world, bringing justice and prosperity; his reign would never end. No wonder why the Magi were so eager to find this child!
Two final thoughts: (1) Do we fully comprehend this good news? As I’ve written before, too many Christians see Jesus as the one who will take us to “heaven,” allowing us to escape this sad, dark world. But that is not the message of Christmas. The real Christmas story is about the God who is utterly determined to redeem his creation, to take back what is rightfully his. This rescue plan requires restoring the image of God in human beings, who were given sovereignty over the created order from the beginning.
(2) Do we share the same passion as the Magi? The wise men came from the ends of the earth to worship the Christ. Do we respond to the Lord Jesus in the same way? Are we willing to turn our lives upside down for his sake? Are we prepared to sacrifice? Are we ready to lay aside our own agendas, and instead direct all our passion and energy towards the furtherance of his kingdom?
